Month: March 2012

I’ve been reading Justice recently which is a graphic novel by DC where a number of supervillains team up and try to take down the Justice League of America. I’m around three quarters of the way through at the moment and it’s a brilliant book but the thing that caught my attention happens towards the beginning. Superman was being attacked by Metallo, Parasite, Bizzaro and Solomon Grundy and hope looked lost for the Man of Steel, but who should save him? None other than the Big Red Cheese himself, the World’s Mightiest Mortal – Captain Marvel.

Through dialogue we find out that not only did the supervillians just sort of forget about Captain Marvel, he’s only a reserve member of the JLA! It led me to think that he has to be the most underrated/unappreciated superhero. How has there not been a clamour for him to get a movie adaptation? This is the character whose comics once outsold Superman. He inspired Elvis’ whole look and personality, and the ‘Taking Care of Business in a Flash’ logo. He has the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury. And this is a reserve member! He should be standing alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman etc.

I know there are legal issues which prevent him having a comic named after him, and I’m wondering if those legal issues would transfer to a film. There was talk of a project a few years back starring The Rock as Black Adam but it doesn’t appear to have gone anywhere. After The Dark Knight I’m hoping we see a trend where it’s not necessary to include a character’s name in the title of a film (which is continuing with The Man of Steel). Shazam is so tied into Captain Marvel’s mythology I think it’s an apt title for a film.

It would have to be a family-friendly (in the sense that it appeals to people of all ages) film though, as the uniqueness of Captain Marvel is that he is a young boy who gets to be a grown up and can actually have an impact on the world. People don’t just brush him off because he’s a kid. No other hero that I can think of at the moment offers the same story. Yet he seems to be the forgotten man.

I mean, really, what kind of world do we live in where Ghost Rider can get two films but Captain Marvel gets nothing?!